In 1937-1941 The Post Office Department Moved The Gold To Fort Knox Via Registered Mail

Parcelpostguy,
I requested the reference. I did not request your snark or condescension.

And Dan, your article is in the March 2018 issue.

I still have doubts that anything would be "informal" in the registry system where everything is detailed to the smallest facet, and the lack of any reader response to a single medium-sized paragraph midway within a 6-page article does not create proof. By the way, where have these "well known among postal historians" written about the "x"? Again, literature citations, please.

You are asking for what does not exist except for the once I gave you. It is a peer review article and the list of postal history folks contacted before the "x" discuss was sent to print was extensive, writers, collectors, postal historians and philatelic judges. The reason for that paragraph was to begin the written record on the "x" and its perceived meaning.

Now I would welcome your explanation of why the "x" has been added only on some some registration numbers mostly on obvious high value contents.

Again, I would welcome a postal regulation pro, con or even of just acknowledgement of this informal action taken by clerks over the decades.

There is no snark intended but to be asked for references when I clearly stated there were no official ones known, I see that as a problem circumstance for you; especially when also stating if "unofficial" text was found on the matter, the practice would no longer have to be considered as informal.

I believe automation to the system has increased its speed. It also made it less safe to mail some items. Not only will the automation damage the item. In many ways make it easier for a would be theif to take some packages.

Morning ParcelPostGuy and all,

Where can I find a copy of your article(s) on "x" markings?

Russ:

It is in the USS Stamp Society journal, "The Specialist", March 2018 issue.

Dan:
Have any of the "experts" you cited previously published the hypothesis about the use of the "X" in the literature, and if so, can you provide the citation.

No.

Which is why no sources were mentioned in the article and it has been repeated here on SCF in this thread that there are no known citations; to me nor to anyone I contacted except for the article cited.

One point of the article was to put the "X" issue out there. All contacted were aware of the reason for the contact and that this would be floated in print. So as to speak "out loud" about what has been seen for years.

With mail thefts going on today, the "X" would be read as steal this item.

Frankly I really don't care if the "x" means the sender of the registered item was a cute woman or hunky guy in the eyes of the clerk, but there is written about it in official sources. Yes that "x" was been around for decades and appears consistently during the time.

Here is another one with an "x" between a well known lawyer and a quite famous one. (I have the back but not handy on this '68 item. I just included the front in a talk I gave on 1341 usages Edit: to include $1 one Dollar Airlift for future search returns).




To spitball the rating of this zone 3, $9.95 in postage and fees item,
10 cents airmail
$4.25 first $10,000.00
$5.60 for next $35,000.00 at rate of 16 cents per thousand for zone 3 supplemental surcharges.

Even in 1968 dollars, $45,000.00 meant something.

Edited for:



Thanks for the correction, I just checked my emails and that, February (2018), was the last anticipated date Leonard expected it to run. The title remained, Transition from Domestic Air Parcel Post to Priority Mail.

Does the "X" indicate there was private commercial insurance on an item?

THE POSTAL BULLETIN, WASHINGTON, JULY 28, 1932—Page No. 15965
"The department is contemplating the adoption of some method which
will obviate the necessity of affixing postage stamps to registered articles
in payment of the surcharges in cases where the matter mailed is valued at
more than $1,000, also the matter of providing columns in future editions
of the firm mailing books used for registered mail or insured mail treated
as registered mail in which there shall be entered the declared value, amount
of commercial insurance, if any, borne by each registered article, and the
amount of postal surcharges collected; also the furnishing of a slip form, to
provide similar information to be used where the sender does not customarily use a firm mailing book or sheet. These matters will be made the subject of
future bulletin and Guide notices. "

Yes hoosierboy, that was the start of the tabular listings BASED UPON ZONE of Supplemental Surcharges beginning 7-1-1932 for excess amounts of $1000 or more, per $1000 and a separate tabular listing for excess amounts of $1,000,000.00 up to $15 Million at which time additional charges based upon weight, space and value could be added.

Based upon zone: The zones were the "by distance" zones set by the Parcel Post service.

"excess': means the value of the contents exceeding the maximum indemnity provided by the USPOD, which was $10,000 in the period of the above 1341 cover.

Edited to add:
The "X" use predated that quoted from the USPOD Postal Guide and did not itself reference anything about the "X" marking.




While in most cases the "X" was on items exceeding the indemnity value offered by and paid to the USPOD, private insurance was not required. One could also go totally no indemnity at a lower fee and self cover via private insurance. Excess value (see above) was still required to be declared.

So, if the value of a a train car of gold was greater than $15M? Did the Department ever issue any regulations to the effect the afixing of stamps was not necessary over $X of shippment value?

One other question. What is the earliesd date you have seen on a registered item bearing an "X" after the number?

It meant a great deal. Average salary was about $145 a week.

Here I believe $1.65/hour was the minimum wage in California. I was happy to be pulling in $2 or so then as a brand new teenager. That was not too long after my dad brought me into a room with no windows to show me.........a one hundred dollar bill in person.

Morning ParcelPostGuy and all,

From the 1932 Supplement: "The department is contemplating the adoption of some method which will obviate the necessity of affixing postage stamps to registered articles in payment of the surcharges in cases where the matter mailed is valued at more than $1,000, ..." Further down is mentioned "commercial insurance" implying some was carried on registered shipments.

I find no other mention of not having to place stamps covering the full supplemental fee. I agree with John B. that nothing was informal about the registered mail.

Yes, the registration fee structure was expanded to give a break to those having commercial insurance in 1957.

Thanks for sharing your quest for info on this aspect of registered mail.

That contemplation did not materialize. Stamps (or meters) continued to be affixed. Of course the $2290.00 supplemental fee for zones 7 & 8 on 15 million would take at least four and one half full panes of $5 stamps to get close.

[Note to hoosierboy, I sent you an email yesterday.]